Jacqui Lambie circus rolls on in Canberra after sacking

Adam was born in New South Wales and was educated at the prestigious Scots College in Sydney.
He has worked both in Australia and United Kingdom for some of the largest newspapers in the two respective countries.
He joined APN as a senior journalist at The Chronicle in Toowoomba in 2010, before moving to APN’S Brisbane Newsdesk in 2013 where he covered politics and court.
Adam won a 2015 Queensland Clarion Award - the state's premier journalism awards - and was named 2011 APN Daily Reporter of...

THE Jacqui Lambie circus continues to roll in the nation's capital after the controversial senator was sacked from the Palmer United Party's leadership team.

Founder Clive Palmer said on Wednesday he stripped the deputy leader and deputy whip positions from Sen Lambie because she had not turned up to the past three party meetings.

He told Fairfax Radio Sen Lambie had not been expelled, but said he wanted her to sort out her problems before she would be welcomed back.

"We have also suspended her from attending any party room meetings until such time as she gives an undertaking not to attack individual party members and to attend party meetings and to abide by majority decision and normal party procedure," he said.

"If an individual is undergoing any sort of difficulties it is easy to discard them, but it is harder to stick with them and try to give them some sort of assistance.

"On a personal level we have no animosity toward her and we hope she will sort out her problems."

Sen Lambie added fuel to growing speculation she was on the verge of quitting the party after she removed all PUP branding from her website on Tuesday evening.

The widening rift was exasperated further on Wednesday after Sen Lambie sided with Labor, The Greens and other crossbenchers to back a motion to disallow the government's plans, supported by the PUP, to scrap Labor's financial advice reforms.

Sen Lambie said, at a press conference on Wednesday announcing the alliance, she was only concerned with doing the right thing for the people of Tasmania.

"I have to do what is right by my conscience and I believe we have allowed it to be watered down (financial reforms)," she said.

"That is the issue I have with it and I have had that issue all along with it.

"The first couple of weeks of being up in the Senate were very difficult.

"We were all trying to find our way and well, I have found my way now.

"You know what, sometimes when you make a wrong you have to go back in there and make it right and that is exactly what I am doing now."

SUNSHINE Coast MP Clive Palmer has expelled renegade Senator Jacqui Lambie from two senior roles with the Palmer United Party "effective immediately".

The relationship between Mr Palmer and Sen Lambie has broken down in recent weeks, over a dispute about an independent tribunal decision on pay for Defence Force personnel.

A statement from Mr Palmer said Sen Lambie had failed to attend the past three parliamentary party meetings.

He said he suspended her from both her party positions - as Deputy Leader of the party in the Senate, and the Deputy Whip's role, as well as being banned from attending future PUP parliamentary meetings.

Sen Lambie this morning made a brief statement that she was now pursuing her interests, and she had not sought to leave the party officially.

Mr Palmer said the suspension from party meetings would be enforced "until such time she gives an undertaking to cease personal attacks on party members and to follow major decisions of the party room".

"At no time has Jacqui Lambie ever brought a resolution to the party meeting in relation to Tasmania or veterans.

The suspension and demotion from the two parliamentary roles has further fractured relations within the minor party, and if she is fully removed from the PUP, could have major ramifications on the balance of power in the Senate and reduce Mr Palmer's power over negotiations on government legislation.